Day out
by DixonVixen93
Summary: River wanted to get out of the ship badly. Only with everyone else tied up with different things, who is going to take her? Evolving Rayne.


**Hey everyone! I know I've been gone for a while, but I promise I am not leaving you guys hanging!**

**This, sadly is a one shot. I could have done more, but I have to save the energy for these other stories that are popping in my head. **

**Now, the story you are about to read is Rayne, but it's more like Evolving Rayne than any of my other Rayne stories. I hope you guys like, I hope I haven't gotten rusty with writing for the 'verse. :/**

**I do not own Firefly.**

_**Day Out**_

River Tam wasn't one for being cooped up inside all day. She loved going outside. Even if it was just to take a simple walk, the reader always loved the fresh air. Ever since the Ariel incident, River has had to stay confined to her room pretty much all day. She was feeling like a caterpillar in her cocoon, one that couldn't turn into a beautiful butterfly she knows she can be.

Now here they were, on a perfectly safe planet. River wanted to go out so bad. Captain Daddy said that no one would step foot off the ship, which disappointed River. Everyone was pretty much fine with that, all expect for the reader, and to the shock of everyone else, the mercenary.

When Mal had ordered the "no one gets of the ship" rule, everyone was sitting at the table. Inara and Kaylee drinking tea, Zoe talking to her husband Wash, Simon watching over River as she doodled, Book reading over things in his bible, and Jayne cleaning Vera. A disgruntled noise came from the mercenary with protest once Mal had staked the rule.

"There be a problem Jayne?" Mal asked.

"Yea there be a problem alright." Jayne started.

"Huh, ok Jayne. How about I put all my _go se_ down and let you run the universe!" Mal said.

"Sure be better than right now." Jayne grumbled to himself.

"Any reason you being all snippy like this?" Kaylee asked.

"He's tired of being a caterpillar." River spoke up from where she sat drawing.

The whole crew looked over at River, she didn't even look up; "Tired of being confounded to one place, as is she." the reader continued.

"_Mei-Mei_, it's only a little longer until we're off this planet-" Simon started.

"No!" River protested, looking at her brother with pleading eyes.

"No?" Simon asked.

River shook her head; "The girl wants to explore. Something needs to be found."

"River we can't all stop at every planet. Once the Captain and Zoe are back aboard from-"

"No Simon, the little one is right. She's not the only one that complaining about getting off this ship." Mal began.

Everyone turned their heads to Jayne to which he pretended to ignore them.

"Jayne. You are ya take the girl with you. Ya wanna get off this boat so much, fine." Mal said to the mercenary.

"Have you lost your mind?" Simon asked.

"Well no not really doc, everythin' is in tact." Mal said.

"Why Jayne? If you are allowing us time off the ship, I can take River." Simon offered.

"No thanks doc. I think Jayne understands that this is teaching him sum lessons bout being nice to crew folk." Mal spoke, giving Jayne a look.

The mercenary grumbled and looked around the room. A set of big brown eyes set on his and he suddenly wished he had never opened his mouth. He had to though, this was his home planet and he had told his Ma they were coming to the planet soon. Mrs. Cobb was thrilled and made Jayne promise he would come see her. And you never break a promise with your Mom. So now with the Moonbrain tagging along, the mercenary didn't know how this would end.

***Firefly***

River was thrilled to be out and about. Jayne had warned her about being worrisome, but the reader replied that she would be good. The mercenary thought about leaving her to do her own thing, but something about that thinking of River being bothered by every _hun-dan _in the 'verse, made Jayne angry in every way. So, he didn't tell River where they were going, but it didn't take little River long to figure it out.

"Mother dearest will think there is something between us that hasn't happened yet." River said as she followed behind the mercenary.

Jayne looked back at River; "What you goin' on about Moonbrain?"

"Your mother will expect something from us that hasn't happened yet." River said for him in a slower tone.

"How tha hell do ya know where we're goin'?" Jayne grumbled.

"You aren't hard to crack- man called Jayne." River replied.

"Yeah, well it don't help that you all witch-voodoo like." Jayne said.

"She isn't a witch. Just an observer. All the variables add up. No need to conduct an experiment when you know the answer." River said.

"Whatever crazy. Just go on with your moon-braininess. Just don' scare mah ma." Jayne said.

They continued to walk until they came across this small-farm style home. Jayne nudged his head to River as they walked up to the front door. The mercenary opened up the glass door and knocked on the white wooden door.

Pretty son, a petite woman with brown and graying hair opened up the front door.

The woman squinted as she looked from her son to the pretty girl who was more than half his size; "Jayne? Is that really you my son?"

"Yeah Ma, it's me." Jayne started. She stared at her and son and nudged next to him until he said; "This is my friend River." Normally, he wouldn't call her a friend, wouldn't call her crew, yet he was dragging her around so that added up to something.

"Aww my little boy has a friend." She used emphasis on the word friend and hugged her large son who made her look like a gnome.

"Ma, it 'aint like that." Jayne huffed as he hugged her back.

"Okay honey, just remember to send your Ma a wedding invite so I can say I told you so!"

"Ma, really, it 'aint even like that, I only tagged her along cause she whined about wanting to go out."

River then stamped her booted foot on Jayne's foot at that response.

"Ow, _Gorramit _girl why you have ta-" Jayne went off.

"Jayne! Watch your language!" His mother said hastily, then turned to River; "C'mon in sweetie. I am sorry about his _rude _behavior, he has had that nasty little temper for a while." Mrs. Cobb led River inside. Without his mother knowing, River turned her head and stuck her tongue out at Jayne.

Jayne growled under his breath and also came inside his mother's house. To the mercenary, it hadn't changed much since he lived here some odd years ago.

Mrs. Cobb sat the pair down on her country-style love seat.

"I'll make us some hot tea, does that sound good?" the mother chirped.

"Do ya want help Ma?" Jayne asked, trying to get out of being alone with _her _the one he had been thinking about differently too much as of late.

"No sweetie. You stay here with your little gal pal." She said with a smile as she went to go to the kitchen.

This left River and Jayne sitting next to each other. The little reader turned to face him and put her legs in front of her. She rested her chin on her knees and started at the merc.

"Why you staring at me like that?" Jayne asked.

River just continued to stare.

"Are you just gonna keep doing that, or are you gonna talk like a normal person?" Jayne snapped; "Wait, you're not a normal person, what was I thinking?" He continued.

"Those words don't hurt anymore Jayne." River said.

"Never said I was trying to hurt ya. I just don' like people starin' at me is all." Jayne answered.

"Jayne doesn't know what he wants. Is sad." River said.

"I don't want nothin'." Jayne protested.

"He lies." River started; "He knows what he wants but he is too worried of what others will think rather than worry of his wants."

"Like I said, I don' want nothing Riv." Jayne said.

River was getting fed up. Pretty soon, his mother came back in the room with two cups of tea, she felt the mood change in the room; "Did I come in at a bad time?" she asked.

River and Jayne looked at each other and then back to Mrs. Cobb.

"Everything's fine Ma." Jayne said.

"Jayne, let me tell you something; lying aint good for the soul, plus you were never good at it." Mrs. Cobb began.

"Ma, I 'aint lying. Everything's fine."

"To you it may be fine. But to this young lady right here, she really 'aint fine." The mother went on.

"She's had it rough on her in the past, yeah, but I dunno what that has ta do wiff me lying." Jayne said.

"That is exactly my point son. She obviously needs some guidance and you obviously like her, or you wouldn't have brought her here no matter if you were made to or not." Mrs. Cobb said.

"Is complicated Mother Cobb. Jayne knows what he wants but doesn't want to believe it for himself." River spoke up.

"That's how he's always been _bao-bei_. He will come 'round." Mrs. Cobb said, gently squeezing her son's friend's hand.

Jayne could never back talk his mother; he could barely even say anything to her besides "Yes ma'am," no matter how annoyed he was, he knew that his Ma was just trying to make him happy.

Pretty soon, their conversations drifted to other things. River and Jayne felt like the heat was off of them, but there was still a tension between the two. Time passed and they were still with Jayne's mother, subconsciously getting closer to each other on the loveseat.

Before they knew it, it was time to go. The crew would be expecting them back any minute.

The last words Mrs. Cobb said to her son was; "Don't wait until it's too late."

For some reason, this stuck with the mercenary for a long time to come.

***Firefly***

During the rest of the day the crew didn't see anything amiss between River and Jayne. They just believed that they finally settled their differences.

If only they knew what this was doing to Jayne. Everything he did that involved River made him second guess why he did it. Just the smallest things made him think. Then his mind would paint a pretty little picture of River, making it even more impossible to get out of his head. Maybe he really was lying to himself about he felt about River.

As soon as the thought passed through Jayne's mind, he heard the latch to his bunk open. When he got up and hurried over to the door, there was the subject of his thoughts. She looked at him questionably and waited for a response.

"Whatcha in here for? Can't keep sneaking up on a man like this. It aint right to be snuck up on by a girl with feathers for feet." Jayne responded walking up to her.

River smiled up at him; "He likes the feathers."

"I guess he does." Jayne agreed.

River started back at him with curious eyes; "He is sometimes an open book. He is sometimes a mystery. What is a girl to do?" The reader whispered. She then raised on her tiptoes and lightly pressed a kiss on Jayne's cheek.

He didn't expect it then, he sometimes today doesn't even expect half the things his girl does.

The moment she had left was the moment Jayne knew exactly what he wanted. Like his Ma said; "Don't wait till it's too late."

He took full advantage of this and within a little time, they were a happy couple just like any of the others on Serenity.

**Please review guys!**


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